Lubricant indicator



J. W. SOFGE' LUBRICANT INDICATOR Filed April 8, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 illillllllllllllll :[WSo/ye I 6H0: um,

Juvcnfo'c v J. \N. SOFGE LUBRICANT INDICATOR 192; 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed ADIil i 1 .rmmmmmmmuanr 4 LUBRICANT INDICATOR Filed April 8. 1 2?. 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 mmmm/ f Z3 Z6 "(J 55 g Jnwcnfor Eli Patented l2, i924.

l lit h JOHN W. scams, or souTHJAcKsoNvILLE, FLORIDA.

LUBRICANT INDICATOR.

Application filed April 8,

To all whom it may concern:

c it known that 1, JOHN W. Sores, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Lubricantlndicator; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a lubricant in dicating mechanisnr for internal combustion engines of the vehiclespropelling, marine and stationary types.

In motors of the said class which have a splash system of lubrication, a feed pipe isused, to catch lubricant and convey it to gearing of timing or other mechanism. Such pipe in actual practice frequently clogs, thus cutting oil the flow of lubricant and resulting in the burning of bearings and other movingparts. The present invention aims to provide an eliicient, inexpensive and novel means to positively indicate the proper flow oi the lubricant and particularly through the type to overcome the objection stated.

In accomplishing the said object, it is aimed to provide such a mechanism as Will H provide in such a mechanism, a v receptacle to receive oil supplied by the pipe and which is movable to actuate an indicator, a receptacle having means operable for release of crank casingwhich avoids thenecessity of using a packing box or means including packing.

lit is still furtheraimed to provide a construction whichmay serveas an attachment so as to be applicable to one or more standard constructions of engines without necessitating change in the arrangement or details of its parts to accommodate the use thereof.

- 1n cpnnection with said 1922. Serial No. 556,796.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating one practical embodiment.

In said drawings I igure 1 is a side view of an automobilepropelling en inc and fragmentary automobile parts, an partly in section, showing the equipment of my improvement thereto;

Figure 2 is a plan view of my improvements, fragments of the engine casing being" shown to facilitate an understanding of its attachment;

Figure 3 is an end elevation;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view particularly through the recep-- .tacle and adjacent parts, showing the reccptacle partly filled with lubricant and taken substantially centrally thereof;

Figure 5 is an inverted plan Vl8W showing t e attachment of the exterior operating ever; I

Figureii is a-detail perspective view of a lubricant deflector which may be employed the invention, and

Figure 7 is a detail transverse sectional view showing the mounting of the said deector.

Like reference characters designate like or similar parts in the different views.

0 facilitate an understanding of the in.- vention, the same has been shown in connection with a conventional automobile-propolling engine and automobile parts. The engine is designated generally as A and an automobile instrument board generally as e casing of the engine has a drip pan as at C detachably secured to other sec tions D thereof by means of bolts E. The crank of the main shafts of the engine are shown as at F and are operatively associated with lubricant or oil clippers G of drip pan C. Timing gears to control the ignition system or firing of the engine are shown as at H and I. The timing gears H and I are adapted to be lubricated by oil or lubricant splashed from a reservoir J of the engine through operation of its parts into a pipe K which discharges the same n practice, the pipe K frequently clogs cuts off the supply of lubricant to the timing gears and adjacent parts, resulting inthc burning of their hearings or moving parts. The present invention overill) comes this objection and provides a means positively indicating the effective flow of lubricant through the pipe K at all times. Intermediate the pans C and parts D, a frame M is secured in place by the bolts l) and is standard construction. In adapt-- ing my invention to practice, a substantially U-shaped bracket is employed as at 10 having suitable openings through which the bolts E pass to secure it in place. below the fram M. Integral with the bracket 10 and upstanding at its sides are ears 11 through which bails 12 are pivoted for vertical movement as at 13. Said bails 12 have attaching arms 1'4: which extend into a receptacle 15 and are soldered or otherwise secured thereto as shown. Any suita--le means may be used instead of the bails 12 to iosition receptacle .15 as will be understood.

The receptacle 15 may be of any suitable shape but preferably conforms to the surrounding curvature of the engine casing and it is disposed directly beneath the gears H and I and their bearings.

One of the bolts or set screws E is pro vided with a longitudinal bore there through at 16 and slidahle therein is an operating stem 17 depending from the receptacle 15. At 18 the bottom wall of receptacle 15 is raised into a dome and from the top thereof. the said stem 17 directly depends. Also the set- Screw E having the bore 16 is raised a considerable distance as at 19 (Figure 4') above the pan U or bottom wall of the engine casing. As will be understood the engine casing contains a certain quantity of lubricant and the portion 19 is movable within the dome l8 and-thus above the base of the receptacle 15 without forming a means of escape of the lubricant to the exterior of the casing which avoids the use (it a packing box or packing at this point.

The bottom wall of the receptacle 15 is provided with an oil or lubricant discharge port or opening at 20. normally partly closed by a Valve of any suitable shape or type, for instance that shown at 21, which is in the Form oi an elongated metallic lea 1 spring (Figure F2), "fastened as by means of a rivet 22 t1: the receptacle 15 and having one end curled as at; 33. to overlap an end of one of the attaching arms 14 which passes thcrcthrough. thus tending to prevent turning oi the valve on the rivet 22 as a pivot. Depending from. the valve 21 through the port and extending a distance below the same is a stud Qal which does not completely close port 20. its the receptacle descends. the stud 52d adapted to engage the pan C or bottom wall of the engine asing, thus prohibiting further movement of the valve dmvnwardly in order that the receptacle may travel downwardly to a greater extent :2 independently of the valve and thus open and the port 20 to the desired extent to facilitate or increase the escape of lubricant from the receptacle.

A bracket 25 is secured exteriorly of the engine casing by the said bolts or set screws E and it has depending cars 26 to which a substantially U-shaped lever 27 istpivoted by pins at 28 passing through ears 29 thereof and the said cars 26. The stem 17 rests directly on the lever 27. The lever is nor mally urged upwardly. To this end, a bolt 30 depends from the bracket 25, passing loosely through an opening in the lever 27 and having a nut 31 screw threaded thereon. An expansive spring 32 of the coil type surrounds the bolt 30 and its ends are engaged in retainers 33 loose on the bolt 30 and one bearing against the lever 27 and the other against the nut 31. The rear end of bracket 25 may depend to form a shield at 34 for the lever 27 and the bolts 30 and spring 32 and associated parts. A crank arm 35 rises from the lever 27 and its movement is adapted to be communicated in any suitable manner to a pivoted indicator arm 36 of an indicator 37 which may be disposed on the instrument board B or at any other desired location. The. indicator 36 may be carried on a turnalle spindle 38 having a crank 39 pivotally connected at 40 to a connecting link 4-1. Link :1 is pivotally connected at 42 to a bell crank 13 pivoted at 44 and having a connecting rod 45 pivoted thereto at all and which is pivoted at 17 to the crank arm 35. It will be understood of course that the indicating means is to be taken as conventional, since an electric switch or any appropriate means may be operated from the lever 37 as at its crank arm 35.

In order to facilitate. the collection of the maximum quantity of lubricant in the receptacle 15 a deflector is provided as at 48, adjacent to the gears H and I and over the receptacle. 15. This deflector may be secured in place in any suitable manner for instance, by means 01' a bolt 4-9, forming a standard part of the engine or its casing and passing through an opening in the deflector. In addition it may have an attaching lug at interposed between sections of the casing and secured by the clamping of the sections together and furthermore it. may have an attaching tongue 51, which is preferably of flexible metal like the deflector and bent or coiled about the pipe K as shown.

In use. when the engine is in motion, the lubricant or oil is splashed by the operating parts in the reservoir J into thepipe K as usual and travels through the pipe K and discharges as usual at L on to or adjacent the liming gear wheels H and I. Instead of the oil dripping from the gears H and I and associated parts directly into the crankcase lowing back to the reservoir J, the same drips into the receptacle 15. As stud ceptacle. As the oil accumulates in the rc-- the event oil does not 24 but partly closes the port 20 oil escapes therethrough but toqan extent insuliicient to enable the oil iLQc SlHLPGfiIOIH the receptacle to the same degree that it is filled, thus causing an accumulation of the oil in the receptacle 15, its weight causes the receptacle 15 to descend, swinging downwardly on its pivots 13 and moving the stem 17 against the lever 27, rocking the lever against the tension of the sprin 32 and accordingly shifting the crank arm 35 which through the medium of the rod 45, bell crank 43, rod 40, rod 38 and indicator 36, indicating the fact at the' instrument board that oil is properly flowing through the pipe K. In. properly flow through the pipe K, the indicator or instrument at 36 does not operate at all as is obvious. As the receptacle l5 descends, the stud 2st by engagement with the pan G limits descent of the pan thus causing the receptacle to move away from or independently of the valve 21, opening the port 20 and. permitting the oil or lubricant to flow there through more freely but not to a degree which 'will permit the receptacle 1-5 to return to its normal position. When the op eration of the engine ceases the oil drains from the receptacle 15 through the port 20, gradually rising, whereby the valve 21 moves to its normal position preparatory to further operation, assisted by the expansion of spring 32. The receptacle 15 preferably permits enough oil to drain therefrom after operation of the engine to insure filling of the oil clippers at G, thus insuring a suiiicient quantity of lubricant therein to coact with the cranks F on the engine again starting to operate.

As merely one practical embodiment has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood'that changes in the details may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A lubricant indicating mechanism for an internal combustion engine including a gravity rcceptable in the path of travel of lubricant and adapted to catch the same, said receptacle-having a lubricant escape port, a valve for said port, and said valve being operable to open the port adjacent the end of themovement of the receptacle.

2. A lubricant indicating mechanism -i'or an internal combustion engine including a receptacle, means toposition said receptacle, said receptacle being disposed in the path of travel of the lubricant movement by gravity thrmigh the accumulation of lubricant therein, said receptacle having an escape port, a valve :1. ociated with said port, and said positioning means cooperating with said valve to prevent displacement thereof.

and adapted for- 3. A lubricantindicating mechanism for an internal combustion engine including a gravity receptacle disposed in the path of travel of the lul'iricant and movable through accun'iulation. of the lubricant therein, means to position the 1{:C9"Jt&l8, a valve for said means, said recept cle having an escape port, said valve coop ting with said port and a stud depending irom said valve for engagement by an obstruction through movement of the receptacle to open the port.

A lubricant indicating mechanisnrfor an internal combustion engine including a receptacle disposed in the path of travel of lubricant for actuation bygravity on accumulation of lubricant therein, means to fulcrum said receptacle, spring means to urge the receptacle to norn'ial position, and indicating means operable through movement of the receptacle.

5. A'lubri cant indicating mechanism for an internal. combustion engine including a,

receptacle disposed in the path oi. travel of the lubricant and for actuation by gravity on the accumulation of. the lubricant therein said receptacle having an inwardly extending dome, a lubricant receptacle in. winch the first mentioned. receptacle is disposed, means rising from the second mentioned recptacle and entering said dome, n'ieans depending froin the dome through the first nxentioned means, and means eng table with the second. .nientioned insane to nor mally elevate the first mentioned receptacle.

6. it lubr'zant indicating mechanism for an internal combustion engine including a receptacle, movable by gravity through ac-- cumulation of lul'n'icuut therein, said receptacle having an inwardly extending dome, a casing within which the receptacle is di posed, a fastening element for said or said fastening element extending upwardly above the bottom wall of the casing and into said dome, and having a bore "liei' ethrough, through a. stem depending from said dome said bore, and means coacting Wl to normally maintain the recept raised position.

7. A lubricant indicating mecha an internal combustion engine incl receptacle operable by on ulation of lubricant therein, an attaching bracket for disposition within the en ine, means to pivot the receptacle to said bracket, a bracket enteriorly disposed on the engine, a lever pivoted to the second mentioned bracket, means cooperating with lever to urge the receptacle to an elevated posi-- tion, and indicating means operable through movement of said lever.

8. A lubricant indicating mechanism for an internal con'ibustiun engine including a receptacle depressihle by gravity on accumulation of lubricant therein, bails pivotally mounting said receptacle within the engine,

said receptacle having an outlet port, a valve for said outlet ort having a stub depending therethrough I dr engagement with an obstruction, said receptacle having an inwardly extending dome, a stem depending from said dome, a lever disposed exteriorly of the engine, a bolt extending through the lever,

said stem being in engagement with said lever, 21 spningvn said bolt urging said lever upwardly, a crank arm on said lever, and 1 indicating mechanism operable through movement of said crank arni.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. SOFG Witnesses A. E. BUnNsInn, WM P. BELOTE. 

